Hiking the Plotter Kill Preserve

The Isle of Scree

Ed — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:31:10 +0000

February 21, 2012: The Two-crossings loop. From the Coplon Road trailhead, follow the trail down into the ravine and cross the Plotter Kill at the stone wall crossing. During the tropical storm Irene, tons of stone got caught in the strainer there so now the creek is divided by a big island of scree. When you get across, you can easily pick up the red trail because it goes through the opening in the stone wall.
***You will come to a place where the trail was washed away during Irene, but an alternate trail is evolving there, it does connect. Go up the incline and turn left, following the north-rim red trail till you come to the sign, and go down to the Landslide crossing. Pick your way across the creek and go left on the other side. Stay on the red trail until it goes back up to Coplon Road—short, sweet.
***The ice on the trails is mostly gone, but there are still some icy patches. —Ed Atkeson

10 degrees Fahrenheit

Ed — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 02:18:44 +0000

February 12, 2012: I hiked the three falls loop this morning, it was pretty cold, 10° F. It was dangerous because my spikes and poles didn’t get much traction—the 10° ice on the trails was too hard! Bad situation. You could really get hurt, or die, so simple hiking becomes technical scramble, keeping 3 secure points of contact at all times.
***In some places it would have been handy, fun, safer, to have some rope and a harness.
***I didn’t get cold. I like to gear up so that I’m comfortable when it’s wet or cold. Today I used those chemical toe warmers in my socks, they work great. —Ed Atkeson

An amusement park for water

Ed — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 14:37:45 +0000

February 10, 2012: Water made the Plotter Kill Preserve 10,000 years ago, and water is still the main event. The Preserve is a 2.5 mile long water feature with dozens of little streams, rivulets, and arroyos carving cloves into its sides. Each one is wonderful in its own way.
***Maybe PKP is such a waterpark because it is located inside the boundary of the Great Flats Aquifer of Schenectady, one of the wettest spots in New York State.
***Ian said that he saw some water taking a 15 foot leap somewhere off the eastern part of the scenic loop trail. I didn’t find that place but I hiked a lot of pretty brooks in that area. The trails are icy, take care, wear spikes. —Ed Atkeson

Tiny falls off the blue trail

Ed — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:28:25 +0000

January 30, 2012: No one ever hikes the same trail twice. —Heraclitus c. 500 bce

Icy trails

Ed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:02:00 +0000

January 25, 2012: Hiked the 3falls loop backwards, starting out on the blue trail from the Mariaville Road trailhead. Checked out some favorite places near the blue trail, a glade at the top of the upper falls, and a tiny falls that is big at the moment (picture in the next post) because of the ice, on a parallel unmarked trail. So, 2 miles, 90 minutes altogether, the route.
***Don’t hike this week without spikes! The trails are sheer ice, be careful. Even with spikes and poles I had to detour in some places because of ice. The landslide creek crossing is pretty difficult because of the meltout, but the worst that can happen when crossing is a wet foot. It’s the icy trails that are dangerous. —Ed Atkeson

Following the markers to Gregg Road

Ed — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:58:44 +0000

January 23, 2012: I followed the trail markers to the proposed Gregg Road trailhead today. The trail isn’t developed, and there’s no place to park yet, but there are orange marker ribbons that lead from the north rim trail, and a footbridge at the site. A bushwhack, not that difficult. At the moment it’s a straight shoot. The trail is marked in green on the map. —Ed Atkeson

First snow in the new year

Ed — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:07:10 +0000

January 15: It’s cold but the trails are solid. Spikes recommended.
***Advantages to winter hiking, no muddy boots!
January 13, 2012: Hiking in the new snow. Wet snow over loose leaves is pretty annoying to hike in, but the views were definitely worth it. More pix here.

Rynex Creek Loop

Ed — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:21:17 +0000

January 10, 2012: Wandering around aimlessly today, did some creek-whacking, which is much more fun since things are frozen up. Red trail to the yellow Lower Falls link, I decided to walk up the creek to see the bottom of the upper falls. Then back up and over to the Rynex falls and then up the Rynex to check on the Fairy Staircase.
***The Rynex is a rowdy little stream, and the Rynex gorge has some beautiful features that are worth a look. The yellow trail follows it for a while, after the trail departs just follow the stream to Fairy Staircase falls. Once there, I got the idea to bushwhack up to the yellow trail and follow the Highland Trail back around to the trailhead. A little over two miles altogether, a 90 minute loop. Here’s the route.—Ed Atkeson

Winter is just getting started

Ed — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:45:24 +0000

January 4, 2012: Route 159 trailhead, take the unmarked trail right after the footbridge to arrive at this view at the top of the upper falls. The icy magnificence begins.

Waterfall loop

Ed — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:12:59 +0000

December 28, 2011: I hiked the waterfall loop this morning, 2.2 miles with sidetrips, 90 minutes. The trails were frozen, pretty easy going with the boggy places gone.
***The waterfall loop is my usual little aerobic jaunt. Enough vertical to get the heart going, not too long, and …three falls! It isn’t marked on the official map or the signs. Map of the route.
***Route 159 trailhead, take the red trail across the footbridge, past the upper and lower falls and down to the Rynex falls. Cross the Rynex and continue on the north rim. You’ll come to the place where the trail splits. There’s a sign. Turn right and go down into the ravine. You’ll see the landslide, that’s where the crossing is—the crossing may be difficult depending. You’ll find the red trail on the other side of the creek, go to the left. Pass a kiosk and take the orange trail going off to the right. The orange trail gets a little sketchy, but you’ll find the blue trail if you just keep the ravine on your right. —Ed Atkeson